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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · fine · bulb · capital · scale · deal · pitcher · bay

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bulb — for light
  3. scale — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. fine — all right
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fine — high quality
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. capital — money
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. capital — a city
  22. key — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com